Job

Job Chapter 6

Job Replies: My Complaint Is Just

Job 6:1 But Job answered and said,
2 Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!
3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.
4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

Here Job makes the assumption of thinking God sent all this to him. Yet He still loved God. In chapter 13 of Job, he said, "Though He slay me, yet do I trust Him." So his complaints are temporary words that we all say at times.

Others have had trials of their faith. The book of Daniel tells how Daniel prays even though the king orders no one to pray to any god except to the king himself. Daniel was set up and watched by those that wanted to get rid of him. Yet Daniel stayed faithful. When we read about the three Hebrews in the book of Daniel who knew God could deliver them from the fiery furnace but if He didn't, they still would not bow to the idol that the king set up. They didn't blame God though for their troubles.

There are times when troubles come because of our own sin. In the case of Paul the apostle, he was struck blind at one time but it was because he was persecuting God's people that believed in Jesus and even consented to the stoning death of Stephen. His blindness led to his conversion but we knew the Lord sent the blindness of his eyes, but healed him later. The trouble Job had we know from chapter 1, that it was sent by Satan but only when God allowed it. Job had no way of knowing this at that time though.

Job 6:5 Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?
6 Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
7 The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.

Job compares his troubles with an animal that is hungry, thirsty or sick in some way. Our cat does this too. A baby cries when it is hungry but it is not necessarily blaming God, the baby is hungry or hurting in some manner. Some food can't taste good without seasoning like salt. It's hard to eat but we don't necessarily blame God for it.

Job 6:8 Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
9 Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

At this point, Job just wanted to die and escape his suffering. This is a prayer that God didn't answer because God knew what the outcome of this trial would be.

Job 6:10 Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

Job never kept quiet about God and His word. He was faithful in all things pertaining to the worship of God.

Job 6:11 What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?
13 Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?

Job defends the attacks from those that supposedly came to comfort him. He is really miserable and assumes that there is no reason left for him to live. He can't heal himself or do anything to fix his life at this point. To him all hope is gone.

Job 6:14 To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.
15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;
16 Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:
17 What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.
18 The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.
19 The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.
20 They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.
21 For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.
22 Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?
23 Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?
24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
25 How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?
26 Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?
27 Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.
28 Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie.
29 Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.
30 Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?

They came to comfort but they were not comforting. They brought no help. He didn't ask for their help but they came anyway. Instead he gets accused of sinning against God, They mock him, they are like those that persecute the righteous with false accusations, and they have no sympathy.

His friends are acting like they are people who don't know him and their attacks are making his sufferings to increase. They have no fear of God who can hear what they are saying. From these writings have come the term, "Job's comforters" meaning they are come to mock not comfort in reality. True friends will try to ease the pain, help and not say anything negative unless it is of a true word from the Lord.

Bad things do happen because of our own sins, also some times we over do it, work too hard without rest or even eat something that is spoiled. Over eating and not getting exercise is another cause of sickness. Doing evil or being disobedient to God's word may open the door to God's judgment but sometimes bad happens when we don't sin and things just happen in the fallen world we live in.

There is a time when we go to be with the Lord and our life on earth ends but until then the rain falls upon the just and the unjust. It is God's will to heal, to save and to deliver though. Even we who believe in the gifts of the Spirit such as healing, do not always know why some are healed and some are not. As we read about the coming of the Messiah we now know as Jesus, we see God's will as signs follow those that believe. Still some are killed because their message of salvation is rejected by some in authority. Jesus said in the world we will have tribulation and persecution. Yet, this will end. There is hope awaiting those that stay faithful until the end. There is a law of reaping and sowing but we do see the innocent suffer in this life and still stay faithful to God, trusting in Him to deliver or take them home. God is good and in the end we shall see good not evil.

The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy but Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Trials comes but eternity awaits where no one who is faithful to the Lord will ever suffer, die and have sorrow again. DC

Isaiah 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
1Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Job Chapter 7